Pandemic and social protests: cities as flashpoints in the COVID-19 era

Abstract

Cities have been profoundly affected by the many problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic: deteriorating public health, serious economic recession, deepening social divides, etcetera. These circumstances have become a hotbed of numerous expressions of social unrest which have crystallised in an especially significant way in urban settings. Hence, new social mobilisations have appeared, channelling the population’s criticisms of the health management of the crisis, or expressing ad hoc demands related with the social and economic problems caused by the pandemic. However, there are other demonstrations too, these being a continuation of pre-existing protests that have intensified as a result of the post-pandemic worsening of material conditions that caused them in the first place.